Super Low Prices on Produce This Week at Aldi
Aldi is out with new special buys starting today, April 11, through April 17 and there are some fantastic deals on produce. (Here’s a link to a complete list of Aldi’s special buys this week.) I just got back from Aldi this morning (1712 S. 108th St. West Allis location) where I purchased the following produce:
- A 16 oz. package of strawberries for $0.99
- A whole pineapple for $0.99
- A 2 lb. bag of Bosc pears for $1.29
- A 4 lb. bag of navel oranges for $1.39
- A mango for $0.59
- A cantaloupe for $0.99
I also bought a few other items, including:
- Bananas for $.44/lb
- A gallon of skim milk for $1.65 (price of milk varies store to store)
Although I have had great success saving a lot of money at Aldi, I have had mixed results buying produce there. The last time I purchased produce I bought red grapes, a bag of apples, a three pound bag of oranges, and green peppers. The next day I realized the grapes had mold and the apples were soft and had some brown spots. I clearly failed to pay close attention to the quality when I was in the store.
With the goal of getting my money back, I went back to the store to return the grapes. However, the cashier offered an exchange so I thought I’d give the grapes another shot. I inspected the grapes carefully. There was no mold so I made the exchange. The grapes were fairly small and tasted a little sour. I have definitely had better quality grapes from other grocery stores.
The apples that I bought weren’t the best quality either. The size was small but I liked that because they were the perfect size for a kids lunch. The apples had a number of soft spots on them. Then again, it seems as if this isn’t a good time to get quality apples. I have been to many grocery stores lately and the quality of apples hasn’t been that great.
Fortunately, the oranges and green peppers from that shopping trip were fantastic, and I’m hoping that I can say the same thing about the quality of the produce I purchased today.
Do you buy produce at Aldi? Why or why not? Feel free to share your thoughts and leave a comment.
Valentine’s Day Deals for Flowers in Milwaukee
Like it or not, Valentine’s Day is almost here! If you are planning on buying flowers for your Valentine, here is information about flower specials at several Milwaukee area stores.
Aldi is advertising 12 stem rose bouquets for $9.99 and 3 stem rose bouquets for $2.99. We visited the Aldi located in West Allis on Highway 100 and found they had assorted bouquets, some of which were rose bouquets, for only $3.99. Flowers may not be available in all stores, and the selection may vary by location.
Pick ‘n Save has a Valentine’s Day Sale through Tuesday, February 14th. A dozen premium roses with filler and greens is $19.99 with a Roundy’s Rewards card. Various bouquets range from $7 to $20, including a 10 stem fresh tulip bouquet for $7.
Piggly Wiggly is advertising a dozen rose bouquet for $15.99.
Sendik’s is offering a dozen roses for $14.99. They also have several Valentine floral arrangements available ranging in price from $20 to $105.
Target is advertising a dozen roses for $16.99.
Walmart stores have a dozen roses available for $15. We checked these out, and while the bouquets looked very nice, the flowers were smaller than those that you will find at Sendik’s or Pick ‘n Save.
Walgreens has a dozen roses for $19.99. Other potted plants and cut bouquets range from $4.99 to $24.99.
If you’re looking for a convenient way to get flowers, Locker’s Florist is operating their Drive Thru Flower Store at State Fair Park again this year. They have a complete menu of options available, including flowers and candy. Bouquets start at $8. Locker’s Drive Thru is open on Monday and Tuesday.
Have you found any good deals on Valentine’s Day flowers in the Milwaukee area? Leave a comment and let us know!
My Second Shopping Trip to Aldi – Another Success Story
As you might recall, I recently visited a local Aldi store to see what bargains I could find. I had been in the routine of shopping at Pick ‘n Save mostly because the store location was convenient, I could navigate the store quickly, and sometimes I could save more money by using double coupons during Double Daze. A trip to Aldi was long overdue. However, since it had been a long time since I stepped into an Aldi store, I was a little hesitant to turn my visit into a full blown shopping trip. I ended up buying just a handful of items. In my A Successful Shopping Trip to Aldi post I shared my finds and asked readers to give their suggestions for what I should buy (or avoid) in my next visit to Aldi. The response was fantastic! Between Facebook and the website we had 47 comments with a lot of great recommendations on what Aldi products I should consider buying on my next trip.
Armed with a ton of great ideas, I headed back to Aldi. This time my goal was to consider this as my weekly trip to the grocery store. Therefore, I ended up spending about $95 and buying many more items than my first trip. Some suggestions from readers that I followed:
- Kathy said “I really like their donut coffee which is much less expensive.” I took Kathy’s suggestion and bought a bag of their Donut Blend Coffee, which is clearly a Dunkin’ Donuts knockoff, for $4.49.
- A number of readers said they like to buy snacks at Aldi. I bought a few nine ounce boxes of Savoritz Cheese Crackers ($1.29) which are comparable to Cheez-Its, some Veggie Straws, and a bag of Multi-grain Tortilla Chips ($1.19). Perfect for kids lunches or snack time.
- Rose from Rose Knows Coupons suggested Aldi’s frozen Triple Berry Blend which consists of blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries. A 16 ounce bag cost me $2.99. Rose pointed out that the nice thing about this blend is that it is not filled with strawberries like the typical frozen berry blends. The blend was a hit in our household this morning when I used some berries in our pancakes and to make a smoothie. I’ll definitely stock up on this item on my next trip.
Once again, I scored an awesome deal on milk. A gallon cost $1.66. This is four cents more than my last trip. Thanks to all the reader comments, we learned that prices of milk (and some other items) vary from store to store. I did my shopping at the Aldi located in West Allis on Highway 100. Readers reported paying over $2 a gallon at other Milwaukee area Aldi stores, but all prices were still good values. Several readers questioned if milk at Aldi comes from cows treated with rBST. Aldi indicates that their farmers have pledged that their cows are free of artificial growth hormones
On my next trip I’m looking forward to looking for these deals that readers have suggested:
- Kathy G. said “You can’t go wrong with a $3 bouquet of fresh flowers.”
- Gail R. recommends buying chocolate at Aldi. She notes “Their chocolate is THE BEST!” She believes the Choceur brand tastes like Lindt but costs 1/4 the price.
- A number of readers had great things to say about the produce prices, especially when they go on sale. Comments about the quality of the produce were mixed, so I’m looking forward to seeing first hand what kind of value I can get for good quality produce.
In addition to testing out flowers, chocolate, and produce at Aldi, I know I need to be more disciplined in my next visit. Since the prices were much lower than other places I shop, I ended up buying way too many items!
A Successful Shopping Trip to Aldi
Before today, it had been over a year since I last shopped at Aldi. I love the store, but due to time constraints I have recently been visiting Pick ‘n Save for the majority of my grocery shopping. Pick ‘n Save is close to my house, and I can get everything in one trip. Plus, I like visiting Pick ‘n Save on Double Daze. I have always viewed Aldi as a nice place to supplement my more frequent shopping trips to Pick ‘n Save and Sendik’s.
I found myself driving by an Aldi store today and decided to stop in because I wanted to stock up on macaroni and cheese. Their macaroni and cheese tastes pretty good and I figured it would probably cost a little less than the brand we usually buy (Kraft). Sure enough, the Aldi brand was only $0.45 a box! I grabbed an empty box from the shelf (to avoid paying for a grocery bag) and loaded it up with seven boxes of macaroni and cheese. In retrospect, I should have bought more!
I also found a bunch of other great deals. Black beans and kidney beans were only $0.55 a can. I bought four of each because they’ll be great to have on hand for salsa and chili. I also bought a very large can of pinto beans for $0.99.
Just yesterday I paid over $3 for a bottle of ranch dressing at Pick ‘n Save. Today I paid $1.39 at Aldi. I will be interested to see what my family thinks of the quality of the Aldi dressing.
Last but not least, I paid $1.62 for a gallon of skim milk! I can’t recall the last time I found milk that cheap.
With the great deals I found today I am definitely heading back to Aldi again soon. It’s been so long since I have shopped there regularly so I need your help. What items do you recommend I buy at Aldi on my next trip? What items should I avoid?
Milwaukee Area Pumpkin Price Comparison List
From pumpkin patches to big box discount retailers like Walmart, there are so many places where you can buy pumpkins in the Milwaukee area. Prices for pumpkins are just as diverse! Pumpkins from large retailers are typically cheaper than those from pumpkin farms. Of course buying your pumpkin at Aldi doesn’t offer the same experience as buying it at a pumpkin patch. What kind of pumpkin buyer are you? Does the experience of a pumpkin patch justify the higher cost?
Here’s a list of prices we’ve seen at popular pumpkin patches and big-name retailers around town (note that prices may change and may vary from store to store within the same chain):
Aldi – $2.49 each
Apple Holler (Sturtevant) – $0.49 per pound
Basse’s Country Delight (Muskego) – Individually priced $1-$8 each
The Elegant Farmer – Priced by size, extra large pumpkins $12; large pumpkins $8; medium pumpkins $5
The Family Farm (Grafton) – $0.37 per pound
Pick ‘n Save – Large pumpkins $4.99; medium pumpkins $3.99; small pumpkins $2.99; mini-pumpkins 10 for $10
Prospect Hill (New Berlin) – $0.37 per pound
Sam’s Club – Jumbo pumpkins for $8.98
Swan’s Pumpkin Farm (Franksville) – $0.26 per pound
Steins – Three pumpkins for $10
Walgreens – Two large pumpkins for $7
Walmart – Large pumpkins for $2.49
You can also get some great deals on pumpkins from farmers that set up pumpkin stands on the side of the road. One of our Facebook followers, Peggy, shared a great deal that she found:
“I bought pumpkins out of a wagon cart on the corner of Good Hope and Town Hall Road. They are $2 each. Good deal and great pumpkins.”
Have you already bought your pumpkins? How much did you pay? Please leave a comment and let us know!
Related post: Milwaukee Brewers Pumpkin Carving Stencils